NorthStrive Biosciences Inc. Signs Amended Licensing Agreement with Existing Licensor, Aims to Capture Animal Health Market

Rhea-AI Summary

PMGC Holdings (NASDAQ: ELAB) subsidiary NorthStrive Biosciences has announced a significant amendment to its existing licensing agreement with MOA Life Plus Co., The amendment expands NorthStrive's license rights for EL-32 and EL-22 to include all applications in animal health and feed additives.

The strategic move positions NorthStrive to tap into the U.S. animal health market, valued at $12.65 billion in 2024 with an expected CAGR of 7.97% from 2025 to 2030. The market growth is driven by innovations in companion animal pharmaceuticals, increasing millennial pet adoption rates, growing livestock populations, and rising meat/milk consumption rates.

Positive

• Expanded licensing rights to enter the $12.65B U.S. animal health market
• Access to high-growth market with 7.97% CAGR (2025-2030)
• Lower barrier to entry in animal health pharmaceutical sector

Negative

• None.

Insights

Biotech Licensing Analyst

PMGC's strategic amendment to expand NorthStrive's licensing rights for EL-32 and EL-22 into animal health applications represents a calculated market expansion with positive implications. This move grants them access to a $12.65 billion U.S. animal health market growing at 7.97% annually through 2030.

The licensing expansion offers three key advantages:

• Regulatory efficiency - animal health products typically face less stringent approval processes than human therapeutics
• Diversification of revenue potential across both companion and livestock animal segments
• Acceleration of potential commercialization timeline compared to human-focused drug development

This amendment effectively lowers NorthStrive's barrier to entry in a growing sector driven by companion animal pharmaceutical innovations, millennial pet ownership trends, and livestock production growth. By securing comprehensive rights that include feed additives, PMGC positions NorthStrive to develop multiple product categories from their existing compounds.

While financial terms remain undisclosed, the expanded IP rights create a more versatile licensing portfolio with multiple commercialization pathways. The timing aligns well with increasing market demand for advanced animal health solutions, particularly as food security concerns drive innovation in livestock health products.

• The U.S. animal health market was valued at USD 12.65 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.97% from 2025 to 2030. This growth is believed to be a consequence of rising innovations surrounding companion animal pharmaceuticals, increasing millennial pet adoption rates, growing livestock populations and production in developing countries, and increasing meat or milk consumption rates, coupled with rising concerns about food-borne diseases.⁽¹⁾
• Northstrive Biosciences Inc.’s amendment to its existing licensing agreement allows the company to develop and commercialize a comprehensive range of animal health products, including pharmaceuticals and feed additives. The company believes these products are essential for improving animal health, productivity, and overall food security.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PMGC Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ELAB) (the “Company,” “PMGC,” “we,” or “our”) wholly owned subsidiary, NorthStrive Biosciences Inc. (“Northstrive Biosciences”), announced today a significant amendment (“Amendment”) to an existing License Agreement with MOA Life Plus Co., Ltd., a Korean biotechnology company (“MOA,” and such existing agreement, “License Agreement”) Northstrive Biosciences holds for EL-32 and EL-22. This Amendment expands the scope of Northstrive Biosciences’ license rights to all uses in animal health, including all applications as a feed additive.

The Company believes this expanded scope of its license rights with MOA will position NorthStrive Biosciences to potentially capture new revenue streams from high-growth markets and lower its barrier to entry within the animal health pharmaceutical sector. Northstrive Biosciences aims to capitalize on the growing demand for advanced and safe solutions to address unmet needs in the U.S. animal health market.

This strategic move enhances NorthStrive Biosciences’ licensing portfolio and reinforces its mission to deliver groundbreaking health solutions with high commercial potential.

About NorthStrive Biosciences Inc.

NorthStrive Biosciences Inc., a PMGC Holdings Inc. company, is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and acquisition of cutting-edge aesthetic medicines. NorthStrive’s lead asset, EL-22, leverages an engineered probiotic approach to address obesity’s pressing issue of preserving muscle while patients are on weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. For more information, please visit www.northstrivebio.com.

About PMGC Holdings Inc.

PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company that manages and grows its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, investments, and development across various industries. Currently, our portfolio consists of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Northstrive Biosciences Inc., PMGC Research Inc., and PMGC Capital LLC. We are committed to exploring opportunities in multiple sectors to maximize growth and value. For more information, please visit https://www.pmgcholdings.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” and “future” or similar expressions such as “look forward” are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described more fully in PMGC Holdings’ filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

IR Contact:
IR@pmgcholdings.com

(1) https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-animal-health-market-report  

FAQ

What is the value and growth rate of the U.S. animal health market that ELAB is targeting?

The U.S. animal health market is valued at $12.65 billion in 2024, with an expected CAGR of 7.97% from 2025 to 2030.

What products will ELAB develop under the amended licensing agreement?

ELAB will develop and commercialize animal health products, including pharmaceuticals and feed additives, through its subsidiary NorthStrive Biosciences.

Which compounds are included in ELAB's expanded licensing agreement with MOA Life Plus?

The licensing agreement covers compounds EL-32 and EL-22 for all uses in animal health applications.

What are the main drivers of growth in the animal health market that ELAB is targeting?

Growth drivers include innovations in companion animal pharmaceuticals, increasing millennial pet adoption, growing livestock populations, and rising meat/milk consumption rates.